1 58 CARYOPH YLL ACE AE 



10. POLYCARPON L. Syst. Nat. ed. 10. 881. 1759. 



Low diffusely branching annuals, with flat leaves, scarious stipules and bracts. Flowers 

 numerous, small, cymose. Sepals 5, scarious-margined, more or less carinate. Petals 5, 

 entire or emarginate, smaller than the sepals. Stamens 3-5. Styles simple, short, 3-cleft. 

 Capsule 3-valved ; seeds ovoid, embryo only slightly curved. [Name Greek, meaning many 

 fruits.] 



About 6 species, of wide distribution in temperate and tropical regions. Type species, Polycarpon tetra- 

 phyllum L. 



Sepals 2 mm. long, strongly keeled; leaves often appearing as if in 4's. 1. P. tetraphyllum. 



Sepals 1 mm. long, only slightly if at all carinate; leaves opposite. 2. P. depressum. 



1. Polycarpon tetraphyllum L. Four-leaved Polycarp. Fig. 1715. 



Polycarpon tetraphyllum L. Sys. Nat. ed. 10. 881. 1759. 



Stems much branched from the base, ascending or prostrate, 8-12 cm. long, glabrous. Leaves 

 opposite or often in 4's, oblong to obovate, 4-12 mm. long, rather abruptly narrowed to a short 

 petiole ; stipules and bracts lanceolate-acuminate ; sepals about 2 mm. long, the prominent keel 

 obscurely serrulate ; petals very thin, oblanceolate ; capsule ovoid. 



Along beaten paths, naturalized from Europe; sparingly introduced in central and southern California. 

 May-July. 



2. Polycarpon depressum Nutt. California Polycarp. Fig. 1716. 



Polycarpon depressum Nutt. in Torr. & Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 173. 1838. 



A diminutive glabrous annual, diffusely branched from the base, the branches 1-4 cm. long. 

 Leaves opposite, spatulate, 4-8 mm. long, attenuate to a slender petiole ; bracts less than 1 mm. 

 long ; sepals 1 mm. long, inconspicuously carinate ; petals narrowly linear, membranous ; capsule 

 spherical. 



Dry sandy soils, Upper Sonoran Zone; Monterey County, California, to northern Lower California. Type 

 locality: on bare sand hills near San Diego, California. April-June. 



11. LOEFLINGIA L. Sp. PL 35. 1753. 



Low, diffusely branched, glandular-pubescent annuals, with subulate leaves. Flowers 

 small, greenish, sessile or solitary or fascicled flowers. Sepals 5, narrow, attenuate into a 

 rather rigid setaceous tip, straight or recurved, entire or the three outer with a setaceous 

 tooth on either margin. Petals 3-5, minute or wanting. Stamens 3-5. Style very short or 

 none; stigmas 3; ovary triangular. Capsule 3-valved; seeds several, oblong. [Name in 

 honor of Peter Loefling, a Swedish naturalist of the 18th century.] 



Five species in the Mediterranean region, central Asia and western North America. Type species, Loeflingia 

 hispanica L. 



Sepals more or less recurved, the three outer with a setaceous tooth on each side. 1. L. squarrosa. 



Sepals straight or nearly so, all entire. 2 - • £ - pusilla 



1. Loeflingia squarrosa Nutt. California Loeflingia. Fig. 1717. 



Loeflingia squarrosa Nutt. in Torr. & Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 174. 1838. 



Low annual, glandular-pubescent throughout, the stems much branched, prostrate or ascending, 

 5-15 cm. long. Leaves subulate-setaceous, 4-6 mm. long, rather rigid and recurved; sepals sim- 

 ilar to the leaves but a little shorter, recurved and bristle-tipped, carinate ; petals minute ; stamens 

 3-5 ; capsule slender, triquetrous, nearly equaling the sepals ; seeds many. 



Dry soils, Sonoran Zones; Sacramento Valley, California, to the cismontane region of southern California 

 and northern Lower California. Type locality: sandy plains, San Diego, California. April-May. 



2. Loeflingia pusilla Curran. Dwarf Loeflingia. Fig. 1718. 



Loeflingia pusilla Curran, Bull. Calif. Acad. 1: 152. 1885. 



Glandular-pubescent annual, the stems much branched, prostrate or ascending, 4-6 cm. long. 

 Leaves subulate, 4-6 mm. long; sepals narrowly lanceolate, abruptly acute and bristle-tipped, not 

 squarrose nor rigid, all entire ; petals none ; stamens 5 ; styles none ; capsule narrowly triquetrous, 

 early equaling the sepals ; seeds many. 



Upper Sonoran Zone; known only from the Tehachapi Mountains, California, where it was originally col- 

 lected at an elevation of 4,000 feet. April-May. 



12. AGROSTEMMA L. Sp. PI. 435. 1753. 



Annual or perennial herbs, with linear or linear-lanceolate leaves and large showy 

 flowers at the ends of axillary peduncles. Calyx 5-lobed, the tube 10-ribbed, narrowed at 

 the throat, the lobes linear, f oliaceous. Petals 5, their blades obovate or cuneate, emarginate, 

 not appendaged. Stamens 10. Styles 5. Capsule 1 -celled; seeds numerous, black. [Name 

 Greek, meaning a field garland.] 



Two species, natives of Eurasia. Type species, Agrostemma Githago L. 



